Probe into Leonora escape ongoing

Police are still trying to ascertain how two prisoners escaped unnoticed from the lockups at the Leonora Police Station even though two ranks were on duty at the time.

The prisoners up to press time were still at large while the ranks have been put on ‘open arrest’ as investigations continue into the incident.

Sources said yesterday that it appeared to be a clear case of collusion.

Stabroek News was told that one prisoner was arrested over domestic violence and the other over robbery under arms.

From all indications the men were to be charged and placed before the court prior to their escape but for some reason this was not done.

Meanwhile, a senior police official said that the investigation into the matter is still being conducted after which a file would be prepared. The rank said the police are actively pursing the escapees.

Acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell mentioned the incident on Monday during the opening of the Junior Officers’ Course No 22.

He said the prisoners escaped some time between 3.45 am and 8 am from the West Coast Demerara police station. He said that he has since ordered a criminal investigation into the incident.

Brumell noted that based on initial investigations the woman police corporal and the male constable who were on duty “might have been asleep during the incident when the men picked up their shoes broke out of the lockups, tore out the charge-sheet from in the report book and then made good their escape”.

He said though that he is not buying the explanation by the ranks that the prisoners scrapped the charge-sheet.

“I told the Commander that I don’t think a prisoner had time to tear out a charge-sheet. The ranks were sleeping, the men broke out, collected their shoes and when they woke up and they couldn’t find the men, they tore out the charge-sheets,” he said.

He used this incident to highlight an example of bad attitude and management by some ranks and had charged the 32 participants of the course not to ruin the image of the force.